


Sally Simpson, Continued

by LadyScaramouche



Category: Tommy - The Who (Album)
Genre: AU, Aging, Children, F/M, Marriage, Nostalgia, One Shot, One-Sided Relationship, Years Later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-29
Updated: 2013-11-29
Packaged: 2018-01-02 23:40:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1063058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyScaramouche/pseuds/LadyScaramouche
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the age of thirty, Sally Simpson decides to look for someone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sally Simpson, Continued

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Tommy and all related properties belong to Pete Townshend and The Who. I am not making any money off of this story, and nor do I intend to .
> 
> Note: Mostly based on the original album, but post World War II like the movie rather than WWI in the album.

He was on tour again, and Sally was sick of it. Of course, she should have been used to it by now, after all these years. And yet, she wasn't. Not that it was exactly 'Heaven' when he _was_ home, since he was drunk most of the time anyway, but she never liked being alone. And it wasn't like she had anything to do with her life; Her husband made enough money, and preferred she didn't get a job outside of the house. She had no children either, since her husband hated children. The only thing Sally could do was be bored and empty all day.

Looking at her vanity mirror, Sally couldn't help but notice how old she was getting: Her blonde hair was beginning to lose its shine, the area below her eyes were darkening, and wrinkles were developing around her mouth. It was ridiculous, she thought. After all, she was only thirty!

Wait, _thirty?_

“My God, I'm that old?” Sally said to herself in disbelief. “It feels like it was just yesterday that I got married, or finished school, or went to that meeting...”

Sally turned her attention to the most striking thing on her face: The scar on her cheek that she received as a teenager. The one she received when she went to that meeting.

In her mind, she saw a young man in the spotlight on a stage. His hair looked gold in the light, and his smile made him appear almost angelic. Tommy Walker was his name, and he was the first boy Sally loved.

 _'Whatever happened to Tommy?'_ She thought. The only thing she knew was that his followers abandoned him, but no one knew what happened after. Did he get old, just like Sally? Maybe he was the type who looked better with age? She hoped that was the case. She couldn't even imagine herself old, let alone Tommy.

A thought appeared in Sally's head. _'Could he still be in England?'_ And with that thought came an idea: _'I should find him.'_ It was bizarre, obsessive, and probably exploiting someone who didn't want any attention, but nothing was going to stop Sally now.

She picked up a piece of paper and a pen, and wrote down a quick note for her husband.

_Love,_

_Going to England for vacation. Will be back soon._

_Sally_

–

During her search, Sally found herself in a small town she had never even heard of. According to rumors, Tommy should be here. She looked and looked, but no sign of him. For some reason, she was nervous about asking people if he really did live there, so she just did the work herself. Eventually, she found herself in a forest near the town, thinking about her search.

The one bright side to this journey was for the first time in years, Sally felt young again. Perhaps she was feeling nostalgic about her teenage years, or finally finding something to do. Whatever it was, Sally felt motivated to keep her search going, even if it took months. If she did succeed though, she would be face to face with her teenage idol.

Once more, Sally picture Tommy on the stage. _'He really was a wonderful person,'_ She thought.

Unfortunately, Sally didn't notice something important: She had strayed from the forest's path. When she did realize this, she mentally kicked herself. Now she knew why her father always said to stop daydreaming.

Looking around, she did not see where the path was. She was beginning to panic.

Then she noticed something not too far away in the sky. Smoke? _'Someone must be having a fire!'_ She thought.

Sally followed the smoke, going around several trees in her way. Then she saw something: A large green field, and a house in the distance with a chimney, the source of the smoke. Sally ran towards the house with renewed energy. Just as she reached the door, she heard a voice say “Hey!”

Sally turned around, where a woman with red hair stood. Her clothes were flowing in the wind, and her pretty face had a slightly questioning look on it. “Who are you?” She asked.

“Oh,” Sally breathed. “My name is Sally, I got lost in the forest and I was trying to find help.”

“Really?” The other woman said. “My name is Katherine.” Smiling, she took her hand out for Sally to shake. “Go on, I won't bite!”

They shook hands, and Katherine opened the door to the house. “Would you like to come in? I can make some tea for us and my kids.” Sally nodded graciously and the two of them entered.

–

Sally took a seat in a wooden chair in Katherine's kitchen. As Katherine prepared the tea, she asked Sally about herself. “Well,” Sally began. “My husband is a musician from America, but he's on tour right now, so I decided to go back to England for vacation.”

“It gets lonely, doesn't it?” Katherine asked.

“Eh, yes, it does,” Sally replied before changing the subject. “You said you had children?”

Katherine took a seat across from her. “Yes I do! Three of them, in fact. The oldest is Ramona, then Jimmy, and David is the youngest. They're outside right now with their father.”

“What does your husband do?” Sally asked.

“He's a musician, too,” Katherine replied. “But only a small time one. He doesn't do much work outside of town.”

“Do you just sit in the house all day?” Sally questioned, and the other woman laughed.

“Sit in the house all day?” She repeated, still laughing. “How can I sit in the house all day? There's so much to do! I need to take care of the kids, pick up around the house, and at night? I go with Tommy to town and play music with him.” Katherine got up and removed the kettle from the stove.

That name she mentioned hit Sally like a brick. “ _Tommy_? Who's Tommy?”

Katherine dipped the teabag into the kettle. “My husband.”

“As in...” Sally was unsure if she should say the next part. “ _Tommy Walker_?”

The other woman turned and looked Sally in the eye, a frown on her face. “If you're one of those media types who are trying to exploit my husband after all he's gone through, then I suggest you leave _right now_.”

Sally gasped. “What? No! Let me explain.”

“Alright,” Katherine said, her arms crossed. “Explain. _Now_.”

Sally took a shaky breath. “I _loved_ Tommy when I was fifteen years old. Then I went to one of his meetings and got this.” She touched the scar on her cheek. “My life since then has been... Empty, really. My husband is never home, I don't even have kids, and I do nothing all day but sit in an expensive house that I don't want anymore! A few days ago, I started to think about Tommy again, and now I'm here, trying to find him and he's outside this house right this moment.”

There was a silent that lasted a few seconds. “So,” Katherine spoke up. “You see Tommy as a sort of- oh, what's the word?”

“Idol,” Sally answered, a little quiet. “I think that's the word. But I don't really know what Tommy is really like, do I?”

“I guess not,” Katherine shrugged. A small smile appeared on her lips. “You could meet him right now, if you'd like.”

Sally shook her head. “Oh no, I couldn't! Now I feel guilty about barging into your lives. Actually, I think the only thing I want right now is to get back into town.”

“Of course!” Said Katherine. “I'll just tell Tommy and the kids where I'm going.”

–

Sally stood outside of the house, waiting for Katherine. The Sun was shining in her face, and she wondered what she should do now. The only option, it seemed, was going back to America and wait for her husband to come back. But that would mean she was right back where she started. She shook her head.

Suddenly, she had the feeling she was being watched. Sally looked down, and saw a little boy with curly blond hair looking up at her. He couldn't have been more than eight years old.

“Hi,” He said, rather shyly.

“Uh, hello,” Sally said back. “What's your name?”

“David,” The little boy replied. So this was Tommy and Katherine's youngest, huh?

Two other kids, a girl with red hair that looked to be about twelve and a blond boy about ten, appeared.

“David!” The girl called. “Mum says we can go to the river when she gets back!”

David nodded and joined his siblings, who went inside the house. Katherine approached her not long after. “Ready to go?” She asked. Sally nodded.

As they walked into the field, Katherine turned around and waved at someone. Sally looked, and saw him.

He was definitely older now, from what she could see of him, but there was still some of whatever it was that attracted him to her in the first place. The sunlight made his hair shine, and his smile was just as wonderful as other. Sally touched the scar on her cheek and smiled.

She started to wave along with Katherine. “Goodbye, Tommy!” And they walked into the forest. 

–

Sally was once again in her home, but all her possessions were in bags and boxes. In her hand was a note for her husband.

_My dear husband,_

_I've decided to change the direction my life is going. I realize that I'm not the same starstruck little girl you married, though I'm not sure you yourself have realized it. Frankly, I don't think you care about me enough to notice anyway. Do you know what this means?_  

 _I'm leaving you. And I'm never coming back._  

_Sally_


End file.
